Georgia starting quarterback Carson Beck will return for a fifth season with the Bulldogs and play in the team's upcoming Orange Bowl matchup against Florida State, UGA shared on social media.
"My friends and family have helped put me in a situation to have options for my future," Beck said in a statement. "However, the NFL can wait one more year. I am returning to UGA for my senior season."
Beck generated legitimate NFL interest late in the season, throwing for at least 300 yards in five different SEC contests while leading Georgia to a third-straight 12-0 regular season. He started every game for the Bulldogs this season, stepping in for two-time national champion and 2023 Heisman Trophy finalist Stetson Bennett and finished the regular season and SEC Championship Game with 289 completions for 3,738 yards and 22 touchdowns to just six interceptions. He also rushed for 127 yards and four touchdowns.
Beck signed with the Bulldogs in 2020 as a four-star prospect out of Jacksonville, Florida. He played in just 12 games over his first three seasons with the program while serving as a backup to Bennett but decided to stick around and wait his turn to run the offense.
Chance to improve draft stock
Beck may have seen his draft stock grow with each passing week, but he still never entered the first-round conversation. A lot of that is due to a loaded group of 2024 quarterback prospects, headlined by the likes of USC's Caleb Williams and North Carolina's Drake Maye.
Those two have jostled for position atop the quarterback board since before the 2023 season even began, and nothing this year changed that. LSU's Jayden Daniels had a breakout year that saw him win the Heisman Trophy, and he's been consistently mocked as a top-10 pick. Oregon's Bo Nix and Washington's Michael Penix Jr. are both in that first-round range, as well.
The 2025 class is wide open, however, with a lot of intriguing names that have yet to totally pull away from the pack. If Beck puts another year on tape like he did in 2023, can enter that first-round conversation.
Big step towards CFP return
Georgia was basically eliminated from the College Football Playoff with its loss to Alabama in the SEC Championship Game, marking the first time in three years that the Bulldogs aren't going to be playing for a national championship. Georgia already had an easy path back to the CFP with its expansion to 12 teams in 2024. Beck's return makes the Bulldogs a runaway favorite to nab one of the spots.
Georgia would have had serious quarterback questions without Beck. Former five-star Brock Vandagriff, Beck's backup in 2023, left transferred to Kentucky. The Bulldogs' only other scholarship option with any sort of experience is Gunner Stockton, who played in three games and attempted nine passes this season as a redshirt freshman.
The Dawgs did hold a commitment from 2024 five-star quarterback Dylan Raiola, but he has flipped to Nebraska. Georgia still has four-star Ryan Puglisi committed, though he's coming from a high school offense that didn't throw the ball a lot and likely needs some time to develop before he's a real factor.
Beck's return provides stability and both a high ceiling and floor for Georgia. It also takes the pressure off finding a new arm via the transfer portal. That's becoming a more difficult task with each passing day as five of the top 10 signal callers in 247Sports' transfer rankings have already found new homes.
